Best Budget Baritone Guitar (2024 Update)

Just a quick note now that I've had this for a week, and played it at band practice… I really dig it! The mini humbuckers are fantastic! I play mostly clean tones, and all 3 pickup combinations work well in my style. It's hits the sweet spot on my Soul Food. Triggers the Mel9 like I want. And is fairly light weight. The one thing I was concerned about was the 12" radius fingerboard, but it's comfortable and wider than I expected. Almost like an acoustic guitar. All in all, I'd recommend this Gretsch to anyone looking for a baritone on the long end of the spectrum.BRENT

Sound: The sound is absolutely amazing… absolutely no complaints. You can make it dark, chimey or right in the middle. Features: Everything is fitted well and the craftsmanship is spot on… Ease of Use: Great tones with the two humbuckers and 3-way switch… Quality: The craftsmanship is superb… period. Value: At a price tag under $700 you cannot go wrong… Manufacturer Support: I have never had to reach out to Gretsch even though I own 3 other Gretsch guitars… The Wow Factor: A beautifully designed/crafted guitar. Overall: I had been considering purchasing a baritone guitar for several years… I watched a video comparison between this Gretsch and the Squire Paranormal baritone guitar. The reviewer, who was an awesome player, picked the Gretsch hands down. I had to get one after that. And I am glad I did. This guitar sounds and plays absolutely amazingly. The fit and finish is spot on. And, which is not always the case, this guitar was setup nicely from the factory. The action is set where it needs to be for playability. The fret ends are rounded and feel smooth (no jagged or unfinished edges). And so far, I have found, this guitar stays in tune even after playing heavily. I don't know where zZounds got their information or if it is a misprint, but the Gretsch website tells us this guitar is fitted with "Nickel Plated Steel Gauges .014-.018-.024-.044-.056-.072, Tuned B to B" strings. zZounds tells us it is fitted with D'Addario EXL157 Nickel Plated Steel (.014-.068 Gauges, Tuned B to B). Is this a big deal? Absolutely not. I will be changing strings over time. I just have no clue right now which gauge strings came with the guitar. So I purchased replacement sets in both gauges. A beautiful instrument that plays incredibly well and also looks the part. You cannot go wrong with this guitar. It is that good. The only thing I do not like is the "Crafted in China" painted tag on the back of the headstock. I would pay extra to have this guitar made in Korea, Japan or the USA. I do everything I can to avoid purchasing anything made in China. But at this guitar's price point, Gretsch is looking for the cheapest labor. I own 3 other Gretsch guitars all made in Japan. I have to say this China crafted guitar is equal in quality to the ones made in Japan. Without the China tag, you would have no clue where this guitar is made. With or without the China tag, this is a fantastic guitar. Especially with a price tag under $700.Richard

This Squire Baritone guitar is a good deal for the money. It's obviously not the best quality guitar, but then, it doesn't pretend to be. It is, however, a rather unique guitar and it seems ideal as a 'discovery' instrument. By this I mean, at very reasonable price, it does allow a player to investigate the rather unique world of baritone guitars (and they ARE different) before deciding or not whether to buy an expensive baritone guitar. I like it, and am very happy to have invested in this guitar.Stephen L.

I've been wanting a baritone guitar for a long time! Not knowing if I'd like it, I didn't want to spend a lot of money on a guitar that wouldn't be may main axe. I've been a Fender guy for fifty plus years, so I thought the Squier Paranormal would be a good place to start! Fit and finish on the baritone are great, as I've come to expect from Squier. The ability to play with familiar chord shapes is great fun, and the sound/ tone is inspiring. Still getting used to playing along with standard tuned guitars but its fun! The pickups and electronics are "ok" not bad but not great, usable for the price. Overall I'm happy with the purchase, and would recommend the Paranormal Telecaster Baritone to anyone wanting to get into the lower tone realm.Dave

This is truly an outstanding instrument for the price, that seems fairly well dialed in right out of the box. It has a great clean warmth and presence when played out of a good tube amp, and is a nice middle ground between a regular six string and a bass guitar. The playability is solid although I will likely get a professional set up on it eventually because the action isn't totally ideal for my style of play. Intonation seems on point so far… In your hands it feels like something that is solid and well made, and nothing stands out as being cheap to me other than the tuners perhaps which can easily be replaced. Thus far my biggest complaint and the reason I'm going with four stars is the muddiness/jumbled sound of the notes as increase volume. I cannot leave the volume knob all the way up on the instrument or everything turns in to mud on distortion settings. Which is slightly disappointing because I was hoping to use this primarily for heavier music. That isn't to say you can't tweak knobs and find something comfortable and passable. The picks up aren't awful by any means. But they're not quite ideal either… I would say that's the weakest aspect overall. But that can be updated and changed depending on what you're willing to invest. But if you're investing more, the question might be …Why not go with something that cost more to begin with? I think you have the bones of a really fine guitar here that could become five stars with a little more TLC. As for the look and feel of it…I love the sea foam green soooo much!!! Probably my favorite guitar I own for the color.David

Never having owned an Ibanez before, I decided to opt for something new. Great choice. This is a guitar designed to be played. The neck and action are wonderful. The best word I can think of for this guitar is "lean." It has everything I need and no frills that get in the way. The two pickups, with a single selector switch and volume control are all I need. At first I was worried about the lack of fret inlays, but the dots on the side of the fret board are sufficient. Beautiful design, and a pleasure to play. Oh, almost forgot to mention that it looks awesome.cjskama

Ibanez is a name well known for quality guitars. Even the super affordable line of Gio's are awesome guitars for the price. The overall quality of this baritone Ibanez was excellent and the factory setup was on point and ready to tune and play. This is the third Ibanez I've bought from Proaudiostar and 5th overall purchase from them and they've delivered free and on time and everything was in perfect order. This time was no different and the guitar came well packed and in perfect condition.LongQuail-46485

Handles drop F as well as, if not better than, my M80M Meshuggah signature. Swapped the EMG's out for a Nazgul/Jazz combo and modified the killswitch to be a coil split instead. Also added push-pull pot on the volume knob for out-of-phase. This guitar is excellent, especially for the price.peelskiwis

I told my wife of 46 years that I fell in love all over again…not only with her…but with my new Alvarez ABT60E! (BTW…I love living in the garage now! Just kidding! HA!) I was able to play one of these a few weeks ago and after playing, decided to purchase one of my own….one of the best purchases I have made in my 50+ years of performing, recording and of buying and playing guitars! SWEET, mellow sounds both acoustically and electric that can't be described! Love it in live performance and the studio! Thanks!Country Boy

Overall: I decided on the ABT60E after looking at every Baritone acoustic I could find. It seemed to have all the features I wanted and the price was very reasonable. I was concerned that the specs on the zZounds website were not the same as the Alvarez website, which showed some up-dated features on this model that I wanted. (LR Baggs Pickup, 1 3/4" nut). I placed the order and was approved for the "pay as you play" financing, which really helps ease the burden of buying a new instrument. The guitar arrived in two days! Everything on the guitar was perfect out of the box! I was relieved see it did have all of the up-dated features as shown on Alvarez's website. The build quality on the guitar is outstanding for a guitar in this price range! The gloss finish on the solid Sitka top is flawless, the satin finish on the B/S is a smooth as can be. The bound neck and fret work are super-smooth, and set-up is perfect, nice and low with no fret out's or buzz. Neck angle is perfect, and the neck is straight. Intonation is spot-on! As for tone, it is very full and rich with lot's of low-end and mids. The size of the guitar is a bit daunting at first, and the 27.5" scale neck along with 16-70 baritone strings take some getting used to for sure! The ONLY complaint I have with this guitar is that I hear some buzzing inside the guitar on some of the low note overtones. I can't quite place where they are coming from, but I suspect the electronics. This is annoying but doesn't affect the amplified sound at all, just when played acoustically. I'll have to take it to my luthier to fix if I can't solve it myself. zZounds did a great job on this order! This is my second purchase from zZounds, and I am sure there will be more. I also ordered the Gator Jumbo Hardshell case zZounds recommended and had it shipped in it. ( I never ship an acoustic guitar without being in a hard case). The Gator case is very nice, good, tight fit and seems well made. Overall, I am very happy with this purchase and would highly recommend this ABT60E to anyone looking to add a little "depth" to their guitar bench for not a lot of money. I really had a hard time putting it down, it's a lot of fun to play! This guitar is a great value! Thanks zZounds!Mike

I've been playing guitar for almost 15 years and I was looking for something different. I read up on the Alvarez baritone and saw on many sites that users were more than impressed with it, so I waited patiently for my store to order a unit. I took it off the rack, dropped to one knee, positioned it on my leg and gave it a strum. I froze momentarily and then uttered : I'll take it. It literally is that good. My friend, a pro musician playing on a $4500 Taylor 600 series had exactly the same reaction after I strummed the guitar once. It has a super deep, rich sound, well manufactured – a real beauty. I read on several sites that this guitar was "perfect right out of the box". I have to say that once I tuned the strings on std baritone tuning it was … well, a little bit unplayable really. I suppose due to the very high string tension the neck was taking some heavy strain and I noticed that the saddle was pretty high as well. Taking this one for a decent setup is a must for sure. Also, the salesmen didn't really have any idea which case would go with this big boy, but luckily I read up that the Gator Jumbo case worked well, and sure enough it was a perfect fit. For the price this is a joke – it's worth much more.Kiepa

I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING ACOUSTIC BARITONE GUITARS FOR A WHILE AND THEN FOUND THIS IRRESISTIBLY PRICED ALVAREZ ABT 60 SHADOWBURST INSTRUMENT FROM GC. UPON ARRIVAL IN A VERY WELL PACKAGED BOX , MY INITIAL IMPRESSION WAS THAT THIS WAS A VERY WELL CONSTRUCTED , BEAUTIFUL INSTRUMENT, ESPECIALLY TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION ITS SALE PRICE BELOW $ 250. THE SET UP WAS VERY GOOD AND DID NOT REQUIRE ANY ADJUSTMENT. TUNED AS IT SHOULD BE FROM B TO B , THIS GUITAR IS MAGICAL. IN THE LOWER REGISTERS, THE TONE IS DEEP, DARK AND CLEAR AND CHORDS STRUMMED OR FLAT/FINGERPICKED CREATE A HAUNTING BEAUTIFUL SOUND. IT MADE ME RETHINK THE WAY I PLAYED OLD SONGS AND PAY MORE ATTENTION TO CREATING A BASS LINE ALONG WITH THE MELODY. INSTANT DUO. ONCE I STARTED EXPERIMENTING WITH ALTERNATE TUNINGS , IT WAS HARD TO PUT DOWN. THIS GUITAR INSPIRES YOU TO REDISCOVER SONGS IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAT YOU MAY NEVER HAVE THOUGHT WERE POSSIBLE. IT HAS ITS OWN LANE . IF YOU ARE A GUITAR PLAYER, YOU HAVE TO TREAT YOURSELF TO HAVING ONE OF THESE INSTRUMENTS. YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.GUITARDOC

I wanted an acoustic-electric baritone for some acoustic gigs coming up and saw this was on sale for a price I could not pass up. I also know that Alvarez is a quality brand. I saw a demo video and noticed that the sound seemed a little thin but as I would be electrifying it it wouldn't matter. The bad news is that the pickup is quite lame. If I want to use this live, I will have to invest in a better pickup. Also the notes are not consistent. The second string seems quieter than all the others. The tuners could be better. They seem cheap with a low gear ratio but the guitar does stay in tune reasonably well. Overall I am satisfied. It feels like a solid guitar, the action is reasonable and the intonation is perfect.Most Cowbell Guy

Having never played a baritone guitar before, I am truly amazed at the great sound and play-ability of this guitar. Some reviews on YouTube complain about the electronics are poor, while they are vary basic they work just fine in carrying the signal to the amplifier. I am very happy with this great guitar it is already boosting my creativity!Nicholas

I told my wife of 46 years that I fell in love all over again…not only with her…but with my new Alvarez ABT60E! (BTW…I love living in the garage now! Just kidding! HA!) I was able to play one of these a few weeks ago and after playing, decided to purchase one of my own….one of the best purchases I have made in my 50+ years of performing, recording and of buying and playing guitars! SWEET, mellow sounds both acoustically and electric that can't be described! Love it in live performance and the studio! Thanks!Country Boy

Overall: I decided on the ABT60E after looking at every Baritone acoustic I could find. It seemed to have all the features I wanted and the price was very reasonable. I was concerned that the specs on the zZounds website were not the same as the Alvarez website, which showed some up-dated features on this model that I wanted. (LR Baggs Pickup, 1 3/4" nut). I placed the order and was approved for the "pay as you play" financing, which really helps ease the burden of buying a new instrument. The guitar arrived in two days! Everything on the guitar was perfect out of the box! I was relieved see it did have all of the up-dated features as shown on Alvarez's website. The build quality on the guitar is outstanding for a guitar in this price range! The gloss finish on the solid Sitka top is flawless, the satin finish on the B/S is a smooth as can be. The bound neck and fret work are super-smooth, and set-up is perfect, nice and low with no fret out's or buzz. Neck angle is perfect, and the neck is straight. Intonation is spot-on! As for tone, it is very full and rich with lot's of low-end and mids. The size of the guitar is a bit daunting at first, and the 27.5" scale neck along with 16-70 baritone strings take some getting used to for sure! The ONLY complaint I have with this guitar is that I hear some buzzing inside the guitar on some of the low note overtones. I can't quite place where they are coming from, but I suspect the electronics. This is annoying but doesn't affect the amplified sound at all, just when played acoustically. I'll have to take it to my luthier to fix if I can't solve it myself. zZounds did a great job on this order! This is my second purchase from zZounds, and I am sure there will be more. I also ordered the Gator Jumbo Hardshell case zZounds recommended and had it shipped in it. ( I never ship an acoustic guitar without being in a hard case). The Gator case is very nice, good, tight fit and seems well made. Overall, I am very happy with this purchase and would highly recommend this ABT60E to anyone looking to add a little "depth" to their guitar bench for not a lot of money. I really had a hard time putting it down, it's a lot of fun to play! This guitar is a great value! Thanks zZounds!Mike

I've been playing guitar for almost 15 years and I was looking for something different. I read up on the Alvarez baritone and saw on many sites that users were more than impressed with it, so I waited patiently for my store to order a unit. I took it off the rack, dropped to one knee, positioned it on my leg and gave it a strum. I froze momentarily and then uttered : I'll take it. It literally is that good. My friend, a pro musician playing on a $4500 Taylor 600 series had exactly the same reaction after I strummed the guitar once. It has a super deep, rich sound, well manufactured – a real beauty. I read on several sites that this guitar was "perfect right out of the box". I have to say that once I tuned the strings on std baritone tuning it was … well, a little bit unplayable really. I suppose due to the very high string tension the neck was taking some heavy strain and I noticed that the saddle was pretty high as well. Taking this one for a decent setup is a must for sure. Also, the salesmen didn't really have any idea which case would go with this big boy, but luckily I read up that the Gator Jumbo case worked well, and sure enough it was a perfect fit. For the price this is a joke – it's worth much more.Kiepa

I am a 59 year old guitar player, had expensive and cheap gear over the years. I don't think I'm technically great but know how to get a good sound. When looking for a cheap guitar to sit with, my Les Paul and even my '88 Strat often got a bit uncomfortable , I decided to try one of these, you can return them after all, no trouble. What a great little guitar! Obviously GAK probably don't get these out of the box to check them, my box was still stapled shut from the factory, and this is OK at this level but I worry a beginner would be put off if the guitar is poorly set-up. First off the finish is superb, no rough edges to the frets, the colour and gloss on the body was perfect, the unvarnished neck just sits comfortably in the hand, I picked this above the more expensive 'Affinity' as apparently the nut width is a little wider. I didn't need to adjust the neck, I just cut the nut a little lower on the G,B and E strings for comfort. The frets needed a light rubbing with fine wet and dry and that was it, a perfect, light practise tool. I would even gig with this no problem. Each and every one of the tuners work smoothly and firmly. Sound wise, it sounds like a Tele to me and this is always a very subjective and personal thing anyway, I don't like overly powerful pickups (my Les Paul has '57's) I prefer to push the sound with pedals. All I can say is, if not sure, 'Buy one'. I have done nothing but played this to death since I got it 4 days ago, hard on the finger tips as I haven't played regularly for a while. I hope I haven't just got a 'good one' and would like to think any of them would be as good, all the reviews I read suggests so.Customer

So I hesitated on buying this Guitar because I just didnt care for the finish. Well It looks nothing like the pictures. Beautiful 3D flames in the top.Am Very pleased. So that brings me to what I expected from a PRS and didnt get, a playable set up. I know its an SE but the action shouldnt be 6mm at the 22nd fret. How QC at the factory allowed it to leave puzzles me. The pick ups are good for Drop C but even at B standard get really muddy on the lower strings. I put in a Nazgoul, Sentient set and these in another standard guitar. They sound really nice in standard E to drop C. IMOTwayne72

I have used this guitar with my band, live and in rehearsals… Plays fantastically once I set it up to my desired specs (Std D tuning, 10-52 strings, FU Tone brass block), but these PRS stock pickups have no grunt and snarl to them, so I plan to add an SD Black Winter set like in my EC Black Metal FR (dropped C). I have reverted back to using my Kramer Assault Plus which came loaded with the SD Alternative 8 set. Will likely use Custom 24 as primary D guitar again after replacing pickups. For this pickup issue alone, I'm giving it 3 stars, otherwise, it would be 5, as spending over 200 bucks more is a bit off putting after spending over $1100 for this plus a hard shell case for an import.Steve

Absolutely love this guitar! As with all SE Custom 24 models, the feel and balance on the strap and also on the knee are prerfect. The action is fast and smooth, and the whole guitar just oozes quality. The roasted maple board is a really nice variation from the mahogany or ebony boards, which are usually found on Custom 24 models. This particular guitar has the most amazing and deepest "3-D" effect quilted maple veneer that I've ever seen on a SE series model. I believe that PRS would probably rate this as a 4A (AAAA). The sound is as good as you'll get from stock pups in a sub- 1000 guitar and the way that PRS wire the coil tap gives a convincing single-coil tone. What upgrades would make this even better? Probably locking tuners, and maybe a satin neck. After- market pickups, if you want to change the tone.kentishkeith

Overall: This guitar sounded very clean when plugged in directly w/o effects applied. Wonderful sound when applying effects as well. neck action is nice. 2 things I would consider if you haven't played this guitar and are going to purchase by internet:: 1. The pickups are located next to each other so a slight modification in your strumming hand position will be needed. 2. The neck is very wide and not friendly to shorter fingers. You may need to find a different position on the neck to play certain things. Otherwise it is a fine guitar with an absolutely beautiful finish that shines even in a dimly lit room. the pickguard and pinstripe around the body have a matching shell like pattern that I thought was a nice touch. My first ESP and I am very impressed. Made in the USA too very nice.Angelica

I have owned a custom shop Jackson SL and an American made Jackson SL2 in my life. I have also owned a Carvin 727. I have to admit the fit and finish of my 607B is on par with those. I am using it for recording primarily, but it sounds incredible. It cuts right through a dense mix of keys, brass, strings and percussion. I compose symphonic metal and this guitar suits me perfectly. The is jaw dropping in person. It stays in tune extremely well and the intonation appears dead on and the strings are ver, very close to the fretboard. This guitar easily rivals my previous guitars and cost less than half or a third of the others. I may eventually decide the buy the purple 607 because the quality of this has sold me on these. The pickups are the first actives I have ever used and are very aggressive. They sound dark, but powerful. Thank you ESP and AMS for such a great axe and a payment plan that made it possible.Lonzenator

First off…the paint job on this is AMAZING. There is no way for this to NOT look good on stage or in the practice room. It is surprisingly pretty hefty for a telecaster style body in terms of weight, but not to the point that it is uncomfortable to play. The ebony fretboard and neck radius makes this guitar VERY easy to play. Doesn't matter if I am chugging away or doing shred style solos, the easy of fretboard navigation and feel is beyond comparison. The Fishman Fluence Customs it sound great through an overdriven 5150's and a Kemper. Surprisingly the cleans are very nice as well. The Longer baritone length gives it a lot pf crispness and clarity while maintaining that gnarly bite even under high gain. The only thing I wish was a little different is the pickup placement. For solos, I love to use neck pickups. The pickup being in the middle is not as usable as I would like it to be, and I had to lower it a great deal so that I was not hitting it with picks constantly. But…I knew what I was getting when I got it. The neck meeting the body where it does makes it a little harder to access the upper frets for that 23rd and 24th fret. The switching between voices is a little different on these when compared to the normal Fishman Fluence Moderns…but not a deal breaker. My only regret overall is that I did not buy this guitar years ago. I am thinking about getting another simply for touring so I can have different tunings on one and then switch to the other.Casey L.

Overall: I purchased the Viper 400B expecting a middle of the road guitar for lower tunings. When it arrived, I was blown away by the quality. This guitar is my first ESP purchase, and now I'm a big fan. The pickups are great for heavy guitar, as you'd expect from EMGs. The matte finish is beautiful, and i catch myself staring at the guitar across the room when I'm not playing it. I've been able to get an awesome clean tone for intros out of this axe, and the palm muting(chugs) and chordal stuff I do really growl and punch nicely. Single note passages sing out beautifully, and the neck feels very nice to my hands. If you're like me, and you love Melodic Death Metal Bands that use B standard tuning(Amon Amarth, Avatar, Kataklysm, etc.) and want to capture that tone yourself without having to file the nut down on a normal scale-length guitar, I don't think you can find a better option anywhere else in this price range. Great job, ESP! You've got yourself a new loyal customer!James

It's a keeper. Build and attention to detail is very nice. Nicer than my MIM Fenders. It plays great. Frets are perfect and ends are smooth. I love the compound radius neck and larger frets. And it stays in tune better than any of my other guitars. Set up out of box was perfect. Looks great too. I have to say I am impressed and I am seriously considering what my next Reverend guitar will be. Tone/sound is gritty yet articulate and defined. It's a Tele, but more than a Tele. Pickups are a little hotter with a bit of growl. Definitely not typical vintage Tele style pickups. Cody from Musicians Friend was a really big help in making this purchase and I appreciate him going above and beyond to help.Matt

Overall: I purchased the Viper 400B expecting a middle of the road guitar for lower tunings. When it arrived, I was blown away by the quality. This guitar is my first ESP purchase, and now I'm a big fan. The pickups are great for heavy guitar, as you'd expect from EMGs. The matte finish is beautiful, and i catch myself staring at the guitar across the room when I'm not playing it. I've been able to get an awesome clean tone for intros out of this axe, and the palm muting(chugs) and chordal stuff I do really growl and punch nicely. Single note passages sing out beautifully, and the neck feels very nice to my hands. If you're like me, and you love Melodic Death Metal Bands that use B standard tuning(Amon Amarth, Avatar, Kataklysm, etc.) and want to capture that tone yourself without having to file the nut down on a normal scale-length guitar, I don't think you can find a better option anywhere else in this price range. Great job, ESP! You've got yourself a new loyal customer!James

Danelectro has done a good job of constructing an instrument that looks like instruments from the 1950s and 1960s. This instrument may also be a useful addition to a mix with several other instruments. However, it does not work well as a solo instrument. This is what distinguishes it from baritone Danelectros from the 1950s and 1960s and from baritones made by Jerry Jones. Those instruments have an attack and decay profile that is much more subtle, and as a result, they are significantly more versatile. If you want to get an inexpensive instrument that you can use within a mix with several other instruments, the current Danelectro baritone will probably be adequate for your purposes. However, if you want something that can stand on its own, this won't work. To get a better idea of this, compare the sound of the most recent Danelectros with those of 50s and 60s Danelectros or Jerry Jones guitars in videos on youtube or other platforms. Watching these, I had initially thought that the difference might be a matter of the players, but the sound is inherent in the instruments. The current Danelectro baritone also has a problem in that the middle position that combines the pickups is much louder than either pickup alone. My guess is that the pickups are put in series when they should have been put in parallel. By itself, this would not be a make-or-break issue, but the actual sound of the guitar isn't as good or interesting as older Danelectros or Jerry Jones guitars. In summary, this is probably fine as tool to use for special effects. However, it can't carry a song on its own.Ken

I am thrilled with my Danelectro baritone guitar which I bought from Richards Guitars. Service and communication was excellent, and I was kept informed of every detail while awaiting delivery. Really pleased with the setup of the guitar-action, intonation all perfect. I would definitely recommend buying from Richard. A1!Martin M.

This has been something I have been wanting for years but just never had the spare buckage to act on. The tone is awesome. It plays killer. No tuning problems. Everything is quality made. I love this cool sounding guitar!Mulie

There is plenty to like about this guitar, and I got it for the features I was looking for: locking tremelo, 24 frets, fast neck, 5 way pickup selector, and nice looks. My first impressions of the guitar was slight disappointment with how sloppy Ibanez was. The tops and bottoms of the frets needed to be beveled as they were pretty sharp, there was a noticeable nick on the fretboard, and there was a black smudge on the back of the neck. None of those was a huge deal. The main two issues I have with the guitar are that the middle pickup, the single coil, has such low output that the middle three positions are much quieter than the neck or bridge pickups alone. I do like the tone of the single coil in conjunction with the humbuckers, but those positions are somewhat useless considering how quiet they are, and I have ordered a humbucker to replace it. The single coil alone (middle position) has too much noise AND is too quiet. Not a big deal to replace a pickup, but why they are selling it this way, I'm not sure. The second issue is the volume control. Instead of a gradual swell, there is a sharp dropoff in volume at one point in the rotation of the dial, making it pretty much useless other than having it full on or all the way off. I am not sure if that is fixable, but if it is, I'll need to have that done as well. All that said, if the guitar had not arrived in such sloppy condition and the two problems were resolved, I'd give this guitar 5 stars.hickory spork

The Ibanez RG 450 or any of the RG's are with the exception of the factory p/u and electronic. capable of becoming one of the best performance guitars to own. The base Ibanez Floyd Rose system is fiddley but, after learning how to adjust/tune quickly becomes appreciated for holding tune no matter the severity of attacks you use with the tremolo. The Wizard(ll or lll ?) You would need to go to custom built to exceed the easy play and comfortable frets you will find on and RG. This recent RG450 I upgraded to equal the higher priced models by adding the De Marzio Tone Zone (B), Air Norton (N). And instead of going with the True Velvet. Added the Seymour Duncan Vintage Hot Stack for the middle position and added better electrics to even out the upgrades.. End result; This guitar plays and sound equal to guitars costing over $1,000.00!! Good bones! Yes this can be played well and many will find happiness with this as stock., and, will perform well against the competition dollar for dollar!ikeus

I used to own an '89 Ibanez VBK JEM that I regrettably sold to buy a gaming pc. I wanted to get a newer entry level RG so I could have a floyd,HSH superstrat in E standard. I've had this RG for long enough to know it's a keeper. This thing has the same feel and vibe of my old JEM! Minus the monkey grip and other features obviously. The neck feels fantastic and I only had to do very minor setup adjustments to my liking. I would have liked a rosewood or ebony fingerboard but of course this is the lower end model. The Jatoba feels good under the fingers, similar to rosewood but with a slightly lighter shade to it. Like most guitars you buy online mine came desperately needing some good oil and cleaning. The Jatoba fingerboard seems to require a bit more lubrication than rosewood. The neck binding is done well, not perfect but to a good standard. I do wish the trem was an Edge lo-pro… But again, this is the lower priced model. There is nothing wrong with the Edge tremolo, it stays in tune well with whammy bar abuse but it is one of the bulkier Original Floyd Rose style bridges. The stock Quantum pickups are among the best stock Ibanez pickups I've tried. They are hot but versatile. However I did swap them out with the classic Dimarzio Air Norton/Steves Special combo and a True Velvet middle. I do believe a higher end Ibanez will obviously sound better than this but for the price it really is hard to beat! Well done Ibanez and AMS!Nevin

Looks are stunning. Sound is great. Pups have high output despite "medium" description. Rocks with all genres of music (Jazz to metal). Love that I can use my clean channel for both sparkle and overdrive just by turning up the vol. The 3 position switches for coil tapping aren't really necessary, but you can "kind-of" sound like a single coil Pup. Dont buy this if you want to sound like a strat style coil. This guitar can give a Les Paul studio are run for its money.Gerry

I bought this guitar from the Manchester store a few months ago (thank you Steve, your advice and knowledge is excellent as always!). The quality and setup were excellent straight from the manufacturer! And it looks fantastic! I really didn't know what I wanted because I had only been playing guitar for a few weeks. My main requirement was a guitar that would make my life easier as a beginner ( I am sure you remember those days when every note and chord is a fight with the instrument 😀 ) This is a great guitar. The flat and thin neck helps a lot, specially with small hands. It is very comfortable, the light weight makes playing standing up quite easy without getting a backache. Five positions for the switch makes it very versatile. I would say it has a lot of low frequencies to it so rock or metal sound incredible! It is good for rhythm as well on the bridge humbucker. It has a very sweet clean sound but growls with the two humbuckers on and a bit of distortion! One thing I would say though, if you like blues, it is not a sound I find natural to this guitar compared to other Ibanez or a Strat but you can always program your amp to help you with that! It also stays in tune pretty well despite my heavy handed rhythms. It is a great guitar not just for beginners, always a joy to play. The better I get, the more I appreciate how lovely it is. Excellent value for money.MJL

Beautiful Ibanez model. Light and comfortable to play all day. Just feels like quality throughout. Blackberry colour is to die for. I've owned a swamp ash RG from Ibanez which was a back breaker. This guitar is light, ergonomic, thin outer edges thickening up in the centre of body, so sustain is spot on. This S521 is perfect and a joy to play. Perfect fret work, no fret buzz anywhere, fret edges perfectly smooth. My last Ibanez RG 421 felt like it had an allergic reaction to quality control. This S521 came perfect right out of the box. Truss did not even require adjustment (which was handy because no Alan keys with this guitar) a real finger print magnet. Can't think of a negative at all. I own a Les Paul, a thinline Tele, and a mex strat all of which are great guitars and this Ibanez is as good if not better than most.Mr P.

I don't know how other people got some rough versions of this guitar but (i got mine in ocean fade blue) my s521 came out of the box perfect. I havent had to set it up at all yet 6 months in. Frets are butter and overall is probably the most comfy guitar i own and have played. The wizard 3 neck really is some magic. Its a 24 fret neck that dosent feel like one length wise but it not downscaled like an esp because theres still plenty of room for you fingers up the neck even while having jumbo frets. Its simply perfect. I'll sit this guitar in my lap and play all day sometimes not even taking it off to play video games at my computer. Its that slim. But the tone is still there expecially in the neck pickup. Quite good on high gain as well (yes it djents) and the options for tone is crazy for a five way switch. Electronics click and twist with no fight or noise in the signal. It just changes. For preface i didn't buy this from guitar center i got it from american musical supply so that may have something it do with it. Theres is some crusted white stuff around the jack if you look hard enough. But this is thing is my baby.Yoshi

I love the sound of this guitar. The lower voicings just grab you from the first chord. I tuned down A to A and it Plays fine. Right out of the box it felt good. I like an instrument that fights back a little when playing. The bigger strings and action on this guitar felt great. The only down side so far is finding replacement strings of the same gauge and lenght. If your like me,it took awhile to pull the string on this purchase. Go for it. You'll be glad you did.J.

Got the newer retro classic with 3 saddle bridge. Is a great value and equal to squier bullets for half the price. The newer indio needed a little work, but so did two squiers i have bought. The indio had rough fret ends and nut was a little tall. Sanded fret ends and sanded the bottom of the nut to reduce the height. Tuners are not smooth turning but stays in tune really well. Will remind again my squier bullets both needed much more work than this indio. Have sold both bullets and kept the indios. The indio plays great and is really slinky. I guess due to top load bridge. Indios are probably the best value out there.Travis

The guitar is surprisingly good considering the very low price. It did have one significant issue though that would make me hesitant to recommend it to a beginning guitar player. I'll start with the good stuff. The basic build of the guitar is very good. The finish is well done. The neck pocket is a good fit. The tuners are good. The nut was cut well. The included gig bag is similar to those I've seen selling in the $30-$50 range so it's a great value too. The electronics and pickups are the typical cheap and generic components that you find on guitars in the sub $200 price range. They aren't terrible though. The bridge design on mine is different than what was pictured. This doesn't matter to me but it does seem to vary. The bad thing on the guitar was the fret edges. I checked the level on the frets using a fret rocker and found them good but the edges were very rough. Since I do guitar tech work as a side gig, this was easy for me to fix but a beginning player might find this to be an issue.New User

This is a fantastic guitar for any beginner or someone who wants to see if a Telecaster is for them or to mod or even just to play. I've got Mexican and American Fenders and have had lower end Squiers. I'd say this guitar is the equal of the Bullet line but costs considerably less. The finish is flawless, electronics are fine, tuners are good and the neck is decent. The biggest problem I have with the guitar is the very small frets (not tall at all) and the sharpness of fret ends. The fretboard is listed as being rosewood but it's more likely what is called "engineered rosewood". It looks good and I like it but could be a little smoother. Buyers should note that Fender parts are not totally interchangeable. For instance, the neck plate is a different size so if you're planning to swap necks be aware. The pickguard holes and shape are not the same as Fender's, nor are the holes drilled appropriately for Fender's tuners. The ferrules fall out the back of the body when changing strings which is ridiculous and if you look in the holes you will notice that they are not drilled straight through the body. It appears the front and back of the body are actually two separate pieces of wood glued together with holes for strings drilled separately and they don't line up properly. That is unbelievably bad but you can still insert the strings so it doesn't negatively impact much. I would definitely buy this again and I'm even contemplating getting another.Steve

This guitar sits on its stand in my Music room always ready for a quick play. I love the rich deep tone that this guitar puts out. Stays in tune and sounds great! Baritone guitars are few and far between and most cheap baritones just dont cut it. This one is the exception. You wont find a better Baritone at this price point!John

I've owned the Alvarez, the Ibanez and a Taylor GT-8. What you usually get with the cheaper baritones is muddiness and in the case of the Alvarez, mine had a funky neck and fret job. I wasn't expecting this to be so nice at this price. But having bought a Guild D-55 and F512 recently, I've become somewhat of a Guild convert. This guitar makes me even more so. Nicely made, straight neck, tunes well and the intonation is almost right on. Just a shade off at the 14th fret, but I think I can work that out. Balanced tone with a nice cohesive sound that you usually get with more expensive guitars. In the low ranges this had a really nice distinct sound, instead of the mud I had with both the Ibanez and Alvarez. The Taylor was great but it was too much of an investment for a specialty guitar like this. If you are thinking of toying with a baritone, this is a great option. The electronics sound good as well on this. It would work well on stage and the unpluggedl tone would work well for recording. All in all a really nice guitar at a very reasonable price, as guitars go these days.Lenny

I just took delivery of my Guild Baritone, and I already love it! It came well set-up right out of the box – though a couple of the string pegs did need to be pushed in all the way prior to tuning. It has a beautiful, deep sound that carries well when unplugged. I can't wait to try it out plugged in!Jason